Danny Rohl believes Celtic fans singing his name during an Old Firm clash proved they were 'a little bit scared' of him. The former Rangers manager, now in charge of Red Bull Salzburg, detailed his unique bond with the Ibrox support in an exclusive interview with Record Sport.
A wedding party serenades the Rangers boss
Rohl recalled a moment at Bishopton's Mar Hall Hotel, where a wedding party of 200 stopped the ceremony to sing his name. 'My kids were watching it and asked me: “What’s going on here?”' he said. His sons from Germany witnessed the unexpected tribute, which highlighted the connection he fostered with Rangers fans early in his tenure.
Building a bond from day one
After his first game in charge ended in defeat in Bergen, Rohl approached travelling fans to take responsibility. 'Maybe it was a big signal for them and from that day on, it was always positive,' he explained. Though Rangers blew their title chances late in the season, Rohl understood the fans' frustration and planned to put things right before leaving for Salzburg.
Celtic fans' unusual compliment
Reflecting on a 3-1 post-split defeat at Celtic Park, where 61,000 Hoops supporters chanted his name, Rohl said: 'How many Rangers managers have had the Celtic fans singing a song against him? I think it showed how much our fans loved me – and how much Celtic fans were a little bit scared about me as well.' He added that the focus on him rather than their own team proved Rangers were challenging them.
Old Firm battles decided by fine margins
During his 30-week spell, Rohl faced Celtic five times, winning once – a 3-1 victory at Parkhead. He also suffered a League Cup semi-final defeat after a red card, a 2-2 draw after leading 2-0, and a Scottish Cup penalty shootout loss despite dominating. 'We put everything we had into it but it still wasn’t enough,' he said, noting that even James Tavernier and Jack Butland couldn't deliver in the shootout.
